Martial art champion Silva lands Hollywood role

Brazil's Ultimate Fighting middleweight champion Anderson Silva is set to star alongside Steven Seagal in a new Hollywood film.

Xinhua reported that Silva will fly to Los Angeles this week to begin shooting the first scenes for the film, which is yet to be titled.

"I am very excited about this new opportunity," said Silva, who was the central figure in the 2011 documentary "Like Water" which recounts Silva's rise from poverty to world dominance in mixed martial arts.

The 37-year-old said he had already embarked on a training programme specifically tailored for the big-screen role.

Silva, who defended his UFC middleweight belt in July by stopping American Chael Sonnen in the first round, already has acting credits to his name, having appeared in the films "Jogo Mortal" and "Hell's Chain".